Commercial display package



May 4, 1943. F. P. STRAUCH COMMERCIAL DISPLAY PACKAGE Filed Dec; 1. 19:92 Sheets-Sheet z Wm vrw my vm w .m y

Patented May 4, 1943 omrso STATES-PATEN oF ics DISYLAY PACKAGE FredericP. Strauoh, Wilmette, 11L, aslignor to W.

F. Straub & Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois 7Application December 1, 1939, Serial no. 301,012

2- Claims.

jects of the invention to provide a transparent bottle for honey havingthe major body portion thereof shaped in approximate simulation of ahoney-comb but enabling a clear view of the honey contents, while thepouring neck and adjacent portions of the bottle body are hidden fromview by a contrasting enclosure removably attached to the bottle in sucha way as to increase the suggestive and attention-arresting qualities ofthe honey-comb portion, in addition to affording a convenient medium forprinted displays such as tracle-marks, advertising material, directionsand instructions and the like, usually applied to a label or thecontainer itself.

Another object is to provide a commercial display package including abottle having a pouring neck structure closed by a dispensing cap deviceand means enclosing only the upper part of the container and neckstructure to generally conceal the same and protect the cap device.

Still another object is to provide an improved box-like member for usein a commercial package of this type which can be constructed ofinexpensive material such as paper board, is easy to make and is simpleto apply to the container without the use of special tools, adhesive orseparate attachment aids.

A further object of the invention is to provide a box-like slip-ondevice which is integrally equipped with means for inter-engagement withcooperative means on the pouring neck to hold the device in place forenclosingthe neck and adjacent portions of the container.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved deviceof this kind having novel means for interlocking engagement with the en-7 closed part of the bottle with which the device is Fig. 3 is anenlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially alongline 8-4 of Fi l.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially in the planeof line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the boxlike enclosure device asit appears before application to the container.

Fig. 6 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a blank from which theenclosure device is set up.-

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of theinvention.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken sub-- stantially along line8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 9-9of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a blank from which theclosure device of the modifled form is made.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will hereindescribe in detail certain preferred embodiments,

and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

In carrying out the invention, a container such as a glass bottle shapedin the major body portion thereof to suggest the product beingmerchandised, as by indicating the source from which the product isderived, has a box-like container or enclosure associated therewith in.such a manner that a prospective purchaser whose attention is direct edto the package will unequivocally identify the product. For example,where the body of the container is characterized by features incident toa honey-comb, the result will be instant recognition of the merchandiseas honey by the large majority of persons. The enclosure device, whichconceals such possibly distracting features of the container as thepouring neck structure, may be decorated and colored in such a way as toimprove the visual attraction of the package by emphasizing thesuggestive design of the container as well as by displaying trade-marksand advertising designed to further impel purchase of the article. Inaddition to its sales purposes, the enclosure device may also functionas a protective medium for the cap structure which closes the'dischargeopening of the bottle neck.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows, by way of example, a commercialdisplay package including a container l5 such as a clear glass bottleand an enclosure device I6 supported by and concealing .the upper partof the bottle.

The major body portion of the bottle i5, is inthe present instance,shaped to suggest a honeycomb and for this purpose is oi" generallyu'pright, flattened form, substantially rectangular in shape withparallel relatively broad, vertical main wall faces I! and narrowconnecting or side wall faces IS. The broad wall faces i! may be formedidentically to represent in a general way the opposite faces of ahoney-comb including a frame represented by a bead 2i) framing each ofsaid faces. The honey-comb surface within the frame may be representedby 'a system of narrow beads 2| in characteristic honey-comb celldesign. Preferably also the cell areas delined by the beads 2| may bestippled to improve the honey-comb eifect. On the other hand, the sidewalls I9 oi the bottle may .be transparent so as to permit unhamperedinspection of the contents.

Above the horizontal section of the frame head 20 the bottle may be ofsomewhat reduced dimensions so as to provide a shoulder 22 thereaboutfrom which the upper portion of the bottle generally converges toward apouring neck 23. Closing the usual discharge opening from the neck 23may be any suitable form of closure device shown herein as comprising adispensing cap 24 including a pouring lip 25, a discharge opening (notshown) and a sliding cover 21 for the opening having an upstandinghandle 28.

The enclosure device i6 is constructed as a box-like member adapted toconceal the upper portion of the container i and the neck 23 and may beso dimensioned that it will seat upon the shoulder 22 and in eiiect forman upward continuation or the vertical walls i1 and l9of the container.To this end the enclosure device I6 may be made of suitable paper boardand is designed to be cut out in the form of a single blank (Fig. 6)comprising, in the present instance, a plurality of connected panelsincluding side walls 29 and end walls 30 adapted when set up to'form agenerally tubular, rectangular box-like body. To secure the wall panelsin the set up relation a connecting flap 3i at one end of the blank issecured as by means of adhesive 32 to the other end of the blank.

In order to secure the enclosure device iii in place upon the container,means is provided, in

the present instance associated with the lower portion of the device,for interengagement with the neck of the container. Accordingly, thelower edge of one of the side wall panels 29 is provided with anintegrally formed retainer extension or flap 33 including a main section34 of substantially the same dimensions as the interior of the tubularenclosure device and a connecting section 35. The free edge portion ofthe main retainer section 34 may be formed as a stiffening flange 31 ofsubstantially the same width as the connecting section 35. In the set uprelationship, the main retainer section 34 extends as a partitionbetween the walls of and inwardly spaced from the lower edge of thedevice (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) and the connecting section 35 and thestiffening flange 3'! lie in parallel relation against the respectiveopposite walls 29 (Fig. 3). Preferably, the width of the connectingsection 35 and the stiflening flange 31 is calculated to afford aspacing between the lower edge of the enclosure device and the mainretainer section 34 that will fully accommodates the reduced upperportion of the container i5.

To assemble the enclosure device It with the container, the bottle neck23 is, by a relative axial movement between the container and theenclosure device, projected through an axial opening 38 in the mainretainer section 34. This rounding the opening into a series ofresilient,

radial tongues 40. Reception of the bottle neck 23 within the opening 38therefore requires yielding and spreading of the tongues 44 to enlargethe opening suiilciently and this is accomplished simply by the 'forceof the neck thereagainst in the assembly operation. The spread tongues,of course, tend to return to their flat-plane relatlonship and as aresult bear against the neck 23 (Fig. 4) Y The resilient bearingreaction of the tongues 40 against the bottle neck 23 is utilized toeilect a self-locking interengagement between the tongues and means suchas an annular circumterentlal bead 4| upon the neck (Figs. 2 and 3). Therelationship between the tongues 40 "and the bead 4i is such that in theassembly operation the tongues will pass the bead and automatically snapinto place against the neck 23 under the shoulder provided by the bead.As a result, the enclosure device it becomes securely locked againstseparation from the container i5 and can be removed only withconsiderable diillculty without destroying the device. This aflords ameasure of tamperproof protection. It desired the base of each tongue 40may be defined bya suitable crease 42 which will facilitate yielding ofthe tongues without breaking. Moreover, the length of the tongues may besuch that when the main retainer section 34 rests upon the shouldersformed by the convergence of the reduced upper portion of the bottlebody (Fig. 2) the ends of the tongues will engage the bead 4i more orless closely, thus avoiding looseness of the enclosure device l5longitudinally of the bottle. In fact, the resulting interconnectionbetween the device l3 and the bottle neck 23 may be strong enough toenable the entire package to be safely lifted by grasping the device i8.

Reenforcing means may be'provided to brace the main retainer section 34for withstanding the pressures to which it may be subjected as when theenclosure device i6 is pulled or pushed upwardly relative to the bottleafter the tongues 40 are interlocked with the bead 4|, the end walls 33being herein equipped along their lower edges with suitably dimensionedhinged tongues 43 and the free side wall 29 may have a similar tongue 44along its lower edge (Fig. 6). sembly the tongues 43 and 44 are bentinwardly into edgewise engagement with the adjacent undersurface of thesection 34 where they are held by facewise abutment with the reducedupper portion of the bottle l5 (Figs. 2 to 5). The tongue 44 (Fig. 3),in efiect, forms a socket for interlocking engagement with thestiffening flange 31, thereby avoiding tilting of the walls of thedevice relative to the section 34. By the In its-- top edge of thepouring lip 35 and in the present instance are even with or above thehandle 28 so as to aii'ord protection therefor in packing and shippingthe package. This relationship also facilitates stacking of a number ofpackages because the top edges of the enclosure walls 29 and 50 providesupport for the bottom of one or more superimposed packages; the weightthereof being transmitted through the walls to the shoulder 22 and whennecessary, through the main retainer section 34 to the underlyingshoulders of the converging reduced upper portion of the bottle.

The outer faces of the side and end walls 29 and 30 may be colored inany preferred shade to contrast with the honey colored main body of thefilled bottle, and may also bear any preferred inscription as totrade-marks, advertising matter, directions and instructions, and thelike. By appropriate contrast the result can be such as to draw to andpractically focus consumer attention upon the product-revealing mainbody of the bottle. Moreover, the special characteristics of the packagemay serve to identify the origin of the package.

In a modified form of the package (Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive), a bottle45, which may also be formed with any preferred suggestive shape such asthat representing a honey-comb, has the upper portion thereof of reduceddimensions and converging relatively sharply from a shoulder 41 toward apouring neck 48. The latter is closed at its upper or discharge end bysuitable means such as a screw cap 49. However, other forms of caps suchas the cap shown in Fig. 2 could be used. On the pouring neck 48adjacent to the cap 49 is formed an annular bead 50.

A box-like closure device for concealing the upper reduced portion ofthe container 45 and the neck 48 may be formed of a single paper boardblank (Fig. consisting of side wall panels 52 and end wall panels 53 tobe secured in tubular relationship by means of a connectin flange 54.When set up the closure device 5| may be so dimensioned that the loweredges thereof will rest upon the shoulder 41. To hold the enclosuredevice 5| in place upon the container. resiliently connected inturnedtongues 55 and 51 formed integral with the lower edges of the side wallpanels 52 and end wall panels 53, respectively, are adapted to en ageendwise against the neck 48 under the shoulder provided by the bead 50(Figs. 8 and 9). As best seen in Fig. 10, the tongues 55 may be narrowerthan the adjoining side walls 52 and are generally tapered in order tofit between the edges of the tongues 51 when the closure device isassembled upon the bottle (Figs. 8 and 9).

Herein. the top of the closure device 5! is closed by means of a tuck-inflap 58 which may he. hingedly connected to the upper edge of one of theside wall panels 52 and a tongue or flange 59 thereon is engageablebetween the opposite side wall panel 52 and the adjoining edges of shortclosure flaps 60 which are hingedly connected to the upper edges of theend wall panels 53.

In placing the enclosure device 5| upon the bottle 45 it is entirely setup with the flaps 58 and 8!! closed and is then placed upon the bottleby a relative axial movement to seat the lower edges of the device uponthe shoulder 41 and permit the self-locking tongues 55 and 51 to snapinto place under the head 50 for holding the device againstdisplacement.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides a novel commercial display package having sales attractionsdesigned to create of the packagea complete self-selling unit. The majorbody portion of the container is attractively formed to suggest theexact nature of the merchandise at a glance, and those portions of thecontainer which are unnecessary to create the suggestive visual effectare concealed by means of such contrast as to emphasize and actuallydirect attention to the suggestive portions of the container as well asto exert additional sales appeal through exterior color; designs,trade-marks, advertising matter, etc. This effective package arrangementis easy and inexpensive to manufacture and assembly and because of thenovel interconnection between the enclosure device and the container,which may be a clear glass bottle, the parts of the package are heldfirmly together while leaving all parts of the major body portion of thecontainer entirely free and unobstructed for inspection of the contentsthrough any wall portion thereof}, Furthermore, the enclosure deviceserves as a protection for the neck and the closure cap thereon. permitssuperimposition or stacking of one package upon another, and evenpermits the package to be lifted thereby because of the firm interlockand interengagement with the container.

I claim as my invention:

1. A closure device for a container having a reduced neck providing anupwardly facing shoulder and having a head on the neck spaced above saidshoulder, said device comprising a rectangular box-like structure havingthe lower edge of its side walls resting on said shoulder to limitdownward movement of the device relative to the container, meansintegrally attached to the lower edge of one of said side walls andextending upwardly and thence transversely within the box, said meanshaving an aperture for the neck of the container with the marginalportion around the aperture provided with tongues bent at an upwardangle by-passing over the neck and angularly and edgewise engaging thebottom face of said bead to resist upward movement of the box relativeto the container, and means integrally attached to the lower edge of theother side wall to hold the first-mentioned means in place within thebox.

2. A closure device for a c ontainer having areduced neck providing anupwardly facing shoulder and having a bead on the neck spaced above saidshoulder, said device comprising a rectangular box-like structure havingthe lower edge of its side walls resting on said shoulder to limitdownward movement of the device relative to the container, a flapintegrally attached to the lower edge of one of said side walls andhaving a section extending upwardly and a main section extendingtherefrom transversely within the box, said main section having anaperture for the neck of the container with the marginal portion aroundsaid aperture provided with\tongues bent under at an upward angle bypassing over the neck of the container and angularly and edgewiseengaging the bottom face of said head to resist upward movement of thebox relative to the container, and flaps integrally attached to thelower edge of the other side walls to hold said main section with itstongues in engagement with said bead whereby the device is rigidly heldin place on the container. I

FREDERIC P. STRAUCH.

